Bookrack or the like



Jan. 3, 1956 c, ov ET AL 2,729,529

BOOKRACK OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 51., 1953 INVENTORS Alfred C. .Hbden IVizlfcr E.N0rclmarli BY y flwyw ATTORNEY Unimd SW68 atent BOOKRACK OR THE LIKE Alfred C. Haven and Walter E. Nordmark, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 31, 1953, Serial No. 377,276

3 Claims. (Cl. 312-108) The present invention relates to bookracks or the like, and more particularly to bookracks or the like adapted for attachment to the undersides of table tops or the like, and especially useful in classrooms.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide a metal bookrack construction which is readily applicable to the underside of a table top and which may be applied either as a unitary bookrack or in multiple sections of uniform size; and to provide such a bookrack construction which is reasonably economical in manufacture, easy to install, convenient in use and attractive in appearance.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a classroom table having a two-sectional bookrack applied to the underside thereof according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the bookrack applied to the table top, the latter being shown fragmentarily in this view;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the twosectional bookrack per se;

Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of parts of the bookrack, taken on line 5--5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a greatly, enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of other parts of the bookrack, taken on line 66 of Figure 2.

The invention will be found useful in many instances wherein it is desired to provide auxiliary racks or shelves attached to the underside of other shelves, table tops or other horizontally disposed elements having space therebeneath. However, by way of illustration, there is shown in Figure l a table more or less conventionally designed for use in schoolrooms and comprising supporting pedestals 10 having a flat table top 11 mounted thereon. It is the usual practice to manufacture such tables in various stock sizes and to supply them to the customers as required either without or with bookracks attached, and it is therefore desirable that such bookracks be also stocked and that they be of such construction as to be readily attachable to the tables. To this end, and to the further end of providing a bookrack which may be supplied as a unit or in multiple sections, the invention is directed.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the new bookrack generally comprises an end panel 12 and one or more body members 13 13 etc. the construction being such that the body members are identical and such that the bookrack can be supplied in as many sections as are desired, each section requiring only the addition of another body member. members are preferably of stamped and formed sheet metal.

The end panel 12 is vertically disposed and has attachment means comprising apertured flanges 14, 15 at The end panel and the body ice its upper edge through the apertures of which are passed woodscrews 16 for attaching the end panel to the underside of the table top 11 in front-to-rear disposition near the left end of the table. As best seen in Figure 5, the lower marginal edge of the end panel 12 is curled first outwardly, then downwardly, then inwardly, then upwardly, then again outwardly and finally again downwardly thus to form a longitudinally extending retaining flange 17 on the lower edge of the panel.

The body members 13 13 comprise horizontally dis posed bottoms 18 18 end walls 19 19 extending vertically upwardly from the bottoms right end edges, and rear walls 20 28 extending vertically upwardly from the bottoms rear edges. The edges of the body members bottoms 18 18 opposite the ends walls 19 19 -i. e. the left end edges-are curled downwardly, then inwardly and finally upwardly (see Figure 5) to form longitudinal flanges 21 21 engageable in the retaining flange 17 of theend panel 12. However, only one such flange, the flange 21 on the body member nearest the end panel 12, is actually utilized in each installation. The engagement of this flange 21 with the end panels retaining flange 17 serves to support the left end of the bottom 18 of the body member 13 Apertured flanges 22 and 23 are provided on the upper edge of the end wall 19 and through the apertures of these flanges 22 23 are passed wood screws 24 for securing the right end of the body member 13 to the table top.

The front edges of the body members bottoms 18 18 are curled downwardly, then rearwardly and finally upwardly, thus providing aligned finishing rolls 25 25 which also serve as dowel-receiving sockets for receiving a dowel 26 inserted in the adjacent ends of the rolls by means of which the left end of the bottom 18 of the bottom member 13 is connected to and supported by the right end of the body member 13 Wood screws 27 passing through apertured flanges 22 223 on the upper edge of the end wall 19 serve to attach the right end of the second body member 13 to the table top.

It will readily be seen that a third and a fourth body member might be added in like manner, and as many more as are desired to thus form a multiple-section bookrack. If desired, additional attachment means may be provided at the upper edges of the rear Walls 20 20 of the body members, being here shown in the form of slotted flanges 28 23 through the slots of which are passed woodscrews 29 for securing the rear parts of the body members to the table top. iencil trays 30 38 may be provided in the body members bottoms 18 18 if desired. As shown, finishing rolls are also provided on the vertical front edges of the end panel and body members, for both safety and appearance.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a novel, simple, sturdy, convenient and attractive bookrack or the like for attachment to the underside of a table top or the like, and while but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the inven tion as the same is defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. A sectional bookrack or the like adapted for attachment to the underside of a table top or the like, comprising: a vertically disposed end panel having attachment means at its upper edge for attachment to the table top and having a longitudinally extending retaining flange on its lower edge; a first body member comprising a horizontally disposed bottom and an end wall extending vertically upwardly from one end edge of the bottom and provided at its upper edge with attachment means for attaching said body member to the table top, said bottom having at its opposite end edge a longitudinal flange engageable with the retaining flange on the end panels lower edge for supporting that side of the bottom, and the front edge of the bottom being curled to form a dowel-receivingsoeket; a second body member comprising a -horizontally disposed bottom having its front edge curled to form'a dowel-receiving socket in alignment with the socket on the first body member; a dowel extending into the sockets of both body members and connecting the adjacent ends thereof so that the second body memher is supportedat its end edge adjacent the first body member; and said second body member having at its opposite end edge an end wall extending vertically upwardly from its bottom and provided at its upper edge with attachment means for attaching the second body member 'to the table top.

2 A sectional'bookrack or the like adapted for attachment to the underside of a table top or the like, comprising: a vertically disposed end panel having attachment means at its upper edge for attachment to the table top and having a longitudinally extending retain ing flange on its lower edge; and a plurality of body members each having a horizontally disposed bottom provided at one end edge with a longitudinal flange, the longitudinal flange of a selected body member being engageable with the retaining flange on the end panels lower'edge and provided at its opposite end edge with an end wall extending vertically upwardly therefrom and having attachment means at its upper edge for attachment to the table top, and each body member also having at its end opposite said end wall means adapting it for attachment to another body member adjacent the latters edge having the end wall.

3. A sectional bookrack or the like adapted for attachinent to the underside of a table top or the like, comprising: a vertically disposed end panel having attachment means at its upper edge for attachment to the table top and having a longitudinally extending retaining flange on its lower edge; and a plurality of body members each having a horizontally disposed bottom provided at one end edge with a longitudinal flange, the longitudinal flange of a selected body member being engageable with the retaining flange on the end panels lower edge and provided at its opposite end edge with an end wall extending vertically upwardly therefrom and. having attachment means at its upper edge for attachment to the table top, and each body member also having at its end opposite said end wall means adapting it for attachment to another body member adjacent the latters edge having the end wall, and each body member also having a rear Wall extending upwardly from its bottoms rear edge and provided at its upper edge with attachment means for additionally attaching it to the table top.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 556,612 Binga'man Mar. 17, 1896 1,282,833 Holder Oct. 29, 1918 1,916,202 Bubien r July 4, 1933 2,440,544 James .t Apr. 27, 1948' 2,547,296 White ---a Apr. 3, -1 2,671,002 White Mar. 2, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS I v 731,449 France May 15, 1935 w s? as. 

